Women abuse: The construction of gender in women and men's narratives of violence

dc.contributor.authorBoonzaier, Floretta
dc.contributor.authorde la Rey, Cheryl
dc.date.accessioned2017-05-18T08:52:08Z
dc.date.available2017-05-18T08:52:08Z
dc.date.issued2004
dc.date.updated2016-01-08T07:53:08Z
dc.description.abstractViolence against women is a widespread social problem affecting millions of women. For more than three decades, researchers have explored the experiences of women in abusive relationships. Victims’ accounts have been the main focus, often deflecting attention away from men who are most frequently the perpetrators. Consequently, woman abuse has come to be regarded as a ‘woman’s problem’ – blaming women and rendering them responsible for change. The literature on perpetrators and victims of violence seems to be developing independently of each other and commonly provide one-sided accounts (mostly from victims and less often from perpetrators). This article reports on an ongoing research project that aims to explore how both partners in a violent heterosexual relationship understand and attach meanings to their experiences. In-depth interviews were conducted with five couples. An analysis of the narratives revealed that women and men’s understandings of violence are both similar and different. They construct particular forms of gendered identities, which are sometimes contradictory and ambiguous. In their talk about violence and relationships, they ‘perform’ gender and enact hegemonic constructions of femininity and masculinity. The analysis also shows that women’s and men’s talk about violence is linked to broader socio-cultural mechanisms that construct woman abuse as a serious social problem in South Africa.
dc.identifier.apacitationBoonzaier, F., & de la Rey, C. (2004). Women abuse: The construction of gender in women and men's narratives of violence. <i>South African Journal of Psychology</i>, http://hdl.handle.net/11427/24358en_ZA
dc.identifier.chicagocitationBoonzaier, Floretta, and Cheryl de la Rey "Women abuse: The construction of gender in women and men's narratives of violence." <i>South African Journal of Psychology</i> (2004) http://hdl.handle.net/11427/24358en_ZA
dc.identifier.citationBoonzaier, F., & De la Rey, C. (2004). Woman abuse: The construction of gender in women and men's narratives of violence. South African Journal of Psychology, 34(3), p-443.
dc.identifier.ris TY - Journal Article AU - Boonzaier, Floretta AU - de la Rey, Cheryl AB - Violence against women is a widespread social problem affecting millions of women. For more than three decades, researchers have explored the experiences of women in abusive relationships. Victims’ accounts have been the main focus, often deflecting attention away from men who are most frequently the perpetrators. Consequently, woman abuse has come to be regarded as a ‘woman’s problem’ – blaming women and rendering them responsible for change. The literature on perpetrators and victims of violence seems to be developing independently of each other and commonly provide one-sided accounts (mostly from victims and less often from perpetrators). This article reports on an ongoing research project that aims to explore how both partners in a violent heterosexual relationship understand and attach meanings to their experiences. In-depth interviews were conducted with five couples. An analysis of the narratives revealed that women and men’s understandings of violence are both similar and different. They construct particular forms of gendered identities, which are sometimes contradictory and ambiguous. In their talk about violence and relationships, they ‘perform’ gender and enact hegemonic constructions of femininity and masculinity. The analysis also shows that women’s and men’s talk about violence is linked to broader socio-cultural mechanisms that construct woman abuse as a serious social problem in South Africa. DA - 2004 DB - OpenUCT DP - University of Cape Town J1 - South African Journal of Psychology LK - https://open.uct.ac.za PB - University of Cape Town PY - 2004 T1 - Women abuse: The construction of gender in women and men's narratives of violence TI - Women abuse: The construction of gender in women and men's narratives of violence UR - http://hdl.handle.net/11427/24358 ER - en_ZA
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/11427/24358
dc.identifier.urihttp://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/008124630403400307
dc.identifier.vancouvercitationBoonzaier F, de la Rey C. Women abuse: The construction of gender in women and men's narratives of violence. South African Journal of Psychology. 2004; http://hdl.handle.net/11427/24358.en_ZA
dc.language.isoeng
dc.publisher.departmentDepartment of Psychologyen_ZA
dc.publisher.facultyFaculty of Humanitiesen_ZA
dc.publisher.institutionUniversity of Cape Town
dc.sourceSouth African Journal of Psychology
dc.source.urihttps://us.sagepub.com/en-us/nam/south-african-journal-of-psychology/journal202212
dc.titleWomen abuse: The construction of gender in women and men's narratives of violence
dc.typeJournal Articleen_ZA
uct.type.filetypeText
uct.type.filetypeImage
uct.type.publicationResearchen_ZA
uct.type.resourceArticleen_ZA
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